Round table discussion
Contagion processes in Complex Systems
Alessandro Vespignani, Northeastern University, Boston, USA
Abstract
Recent years have witnessed the development of data driven models of contagion processes rooted in the combination of large scale data mining techniques, computational approaches and mathematical modeling. Although these models are increasingly used to support public-health decisions they are often under debate by only considering their value as forecasting tools. Here I will discuss, by using specific modeling examples, how computational models can be used in real time to provide situational awareness, intervention planning and projections, and the identification of factors that fundamentally influence the course of contagion processes.
Parsimonious Rules in Complex Marine Ecosystems
Carlos Duarte, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
Abstract
Complexity is inherent to biological systems and embedded at all levels of organization in marine ecosystems. In this keynote I will provide an overview of Parsimonious Rules capturing essential features of complexity across a range of Marine Ecosystems. I will summarize insights into the structure of networks in marine ecosystems, and how they can be used to examine properties and stability of metapopulations and food webs, scaling laws capturing quasi-universal patterns of organization and dynamics in marine ecosystems, and complex patterns emerging from simple rules that govern landscape formation and dynamics across marine ecosystems. This keynote summarizes two decades of cross-disciplinary collaboration between marine ecologists and scientists focused on complex systems at IFISC, and will provide some reflections on the keys to successful collaboration toward advancing our understanding of marine ecosystems.
Quantum Brownian Motion Revisited
Maciej Lewenstein, Affiliation: ICFO and ICREA, Barcelona, Spain
Abstract
Complexity is inherent to biological systems and embedded at all levels of organization in marine ecosystems. In this keynote I will provide an overview of Parsimonious Rules capturing essential features of complexity across a range of Marine Ecosystems. I will summarize insights into the structure of networks in marine ecosystems, and how they can be used to examine properties and stability of metapopulations and food webs, scaling laws capturing quasi-universal patterns of organization and dynamics in marine ecosystems, and complex patterns emerging from simple rules that govern landscape formation and dynamics across marine ecosystems. This keynote summarizes two decades of cross-disciplinary collaboration between marine ecologists and scientists focused on complex systems at IFISC, and will provide some reflections on the keys to successful collaboration toward advancing our understanding of marine ecosystems.
Levels of reality in weather forecasting: the lesson by Richardson and von Neumann
Angelo Vulpiani, Università di Roma
Abstract
At first glance weather forecasting appears just a topic of practical relevance. An analysis of its main aspects shows the presence of conceptual topics which are rather interesting in complex systems: a) limits of extreme reductionism b) limits of naive inductivism c) relevance of old (apparently very far) classical issues d) role of models at different scales e) importance of the proper level of description.
Seeing the Light – at the end of the tunnel?
Rajarshi Roy, Affiliation: University of Maryland, College Park, USA
Abstract
Seeing the light is no simple task it is accomplished with a complex system consisting of our eyes and brain, which we are only beginning to understand in a rudimentary way. This is certainly good news there is so much interesting science left to do and so many interesting discoveries to make, experimentally and theoretically. We will look at a few examples to illustrate these points, the highly interdisciplinary nature of the problems, and tools needed to begin to unravel them. We will conclude with a description of experiments to probe the transition from randomness to determinism in a simple system, entropy production and random number generation.
